Testing machine for inflatable tubes



Feb. 21, 1928.

. 1,659,972 F. E. GILBREATH ET AL TESTING MACHINE FOR INFLTABLE TUBES Filed May 2l. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l ttomeq Feb. 21, 192s. 1,659,972

F. E. GILBREATH ET AL TESTING MACHINE FOR INFLATABLE TUBES Filed May 2l, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jg 17/5 J6 l J4 l" [5 I0 'Fi E E- 2 g gzflll '5 F Ghezfrsnvw M PW/v6 l Patented Feb. 21, 1928'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. *e

FREDERICK E. GILBREATH AND WILLIAM E. WING, OF LURAY, KANSAS; SAD) 1 GILBREATH ASIGNOR TO SAID WING. f

TESTING MACHINE Fon inrrarannn TUBES.

pplication filed May 21,

This invention relates to testing machines Vfor iniiatable tubes and it is an object of the invention to provide a device o f this kindvwhereby a tube to be tested ymaybe readily submerged within a liquid and a manner whereby the liability or' wethands, clothing and other inconvenientand disagreeable conditions are eliminated.H

An additional object ofthe invention 1s` to provide a device or' t-hiskind comprising a liquid containing vat together with tube carrying means operable to submerge the tube within the liquid in the vat and whereby the tubeisreadily lifted out of the vat.

The invention consists in the details oi' construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts oour improvedtesting machine for viniiatable tubes whereby certain importantv advantages are atta-ined and the` device rendered'simpler,

.less expensive and. otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Thenovel features of our invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

'In order that our invention may be the betterunderstood, we will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a. testing machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of ourinvention;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the structure as illustrated vin Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentaryview partly in vertical section and partlyin elevation of the machine as herein disclosed, with certain of the parts positionedtosubmerge an inflatable body;` i

Figure 4 is a fragmentary. view partly in section and partly in elevationillustrating ,means herein disclosed for. holding t-he inflatable body in submergence.

Figure 5V illustrates a detail. .I i l 5 'As herein disclosed, kour improved testing machine comprises al supporting structure t5 upon which is mounted an annular vvtank or vat T of desired dimensions and capacity and which defines a relatively large central opening1.

The supporting structure S, as herein disclosed, comprises a centralvertical tubular member orpost2which is shown as ,circular in cross sectionl although it is to be under- 1927. Serial No. 193,266.

stood that such cross sectional configuration may be square or otherwise as desired.l The lower end portion of the member or post 2 has bolted, as at 3, or otherwise secured thereto the apex portions of the oppositely disposed substantially V-shapedmembers M. Each of these members M preferably constitutes an angle iron. The outer or free extremities of the members M are connected by the brace rods 4. f

The'outer end portions of the members M have bolted, as at 5, or otherwise secured thereto the lower' end portionsr of the upstanding angle irons or legs 6 and the upper end portions of these irons or legs 6 are bolted, as at 7, or otherwise secured to the outer extremities of the substantially V` shaped members M. Each of theseY members M has its Vapex'portion bolted, as at 8, or otherwise secured to thejupper portion of the member yor post 2 and preferably constitutes an angle iron. By this means a rigid supportingy structure S yis provided and the tankT hereinbefore referredto is rested .directly upon the upper members N1.

The tank T has its top open and the upper marginal portionof its outer side wall 9 is reinforced with a heavy rolled in wire or rod 10 while the upper portion of the inner wall '11 of the tank is reinforced by a fiat hoop or band 12 preferably overlying the outer face of the wall 11.. This hoop or band 12 has bolted or otherwise fixed thereto at predetermined points'therearound the uplstanding brackets 14 each including spaced arms 15. Extending between the arms 15 of each of the brackets vlet and pivotallyheld thereto by a bolt 16 or the like is the central portion of an arm or rod 17. The outer portiono'f this rod 17 isprovided with a fork consisting of two `vertically spaced curved .arms or fingers 18 which are adapted to receive 'therebetween and effectively hold an inatable body, such as an inner tube for a tire..;

The inner end portionv of each of the arms or `-rods117 is pivotally connected, as at 19, with the upper-'portion of an elongated rigid Ymember or arm 20. This member or arm 2O extends downwardly and is pivotally engaged, as "at 21, with an upstanding bracket 22 carriedby a sleeve or collar 23. This sleeve or collar 28 surrounds-the member or post. 2 and'is adapted to have sliding movement along such member or post 2 in opposite directions.

Depending from one of the upper members M of the supporting structure S is a rigid arm 24 to the lower portion of which is pivotally connected, as at 24, an intermediate portion of a lever 26. This pivotal connection 25 is at a predetermined point above the lowermost position of the sleeve or collar 23 and the inner portionof the lever 26 is operatively connected, as at 27, with an upstanding member 28 carried by the sleeve or collary 23. The outer end portion of the lever 26 extends beyond the supporting structure S and carries a pedal 29. By exerting downward pressure on the pedal 29, the inner end portion of the lever 26 will move upwardly kcarrying the collar or 'sleeve 23 upwardly'of the member or post 2 resulting in the inflatable member or tube A carried by the forks 18 being submerged within the liquid inthe tank T, thus enabling an effective testing of such tube or inflatable member and in a manner whereby the perator is not subjected to wet hands, clothing or kindred inconveniences.

When pressure is removed from the pedal 29 the weight of the sleeve or collar 23 plus the weight of the members or arms will cause the forks 18 and the inflatable member or tube carried thereby to swing upwardly out of the tank. In other words, it is toV be noted that thesubmergence of an inllatable member or tube isv effected by the operator while the raising of such member or tube out of thev tank is done automatically.

After the tube has been submerged and is i returned to its raised position it is permitted to remain over the tank until the water or other liquid thereon has drained therefrom. If, for any reason, it is desired to maintain the inflatable member or tube A inI sub-l mergence for a considerable period of time, the outer portion of the lever 26 may be engaged with a toothed rack 30 or the like carried by oneof the legs 6.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a testing machine for inflatable tubes constructed in v'accordance withour invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that our invention is susceptible of some change and modification without de parting from the principles and spirit thereof and yfor this reason we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the preoise arrangement and formation ofthe several parts vherein shown in carrying out our invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

1. A testing device for inflatable bodies comprising, in combination, an annular tank defining a central -opening and including side walls, arms pivotally connected with.

the inner side wall of the tank at predetermined points thereon, said arms being provided with forks overlying thev tank and which are adapted -to provide a mounting for the inflatablebody to be tested, Vand means coacting with the opposite end por Y ner side wall of the tank at predetermined points thereon, said arms Vbeing provided With forks overlying the tank and which are adapted to provide a mounting for the iniiatable vbody to be tested, and means coact ing with the opposite end portions of the arms for moving the arms tovr bring the body carried by the forks into submergence within a liquid in the tank and to raise the-forks and body out of such liquid, said last named operation being automatic. i v

3. A testing device for inflatable bodies comprising, in combination, an annular tank defining a central opening and including side walls, arms pivotallyV connected with :the inner side wall of theta-nk at predetermined points thereon, said arms being provided adapted to provide a mounting forv the inflatable body to be tested, means coacting with the opposite end portions of the arms for moving the armste bring the' body carf. with forks-overlying the tank and which are 'i ried by the forks into submergence within a liquid inthe tank and toraisethe forks and body out of such liquid, and means for locking the arms against movement when the inflatable body carried by the forks is in submergence.V

4. A testing device' for-inflatable bod-ies comprising, in combination, an annular tank defining aj central opening and including side walls, arms pivotallyy connected with the inner side wall'o-f-the tank' at predetermined points thereon, said arm-s being provided wlthforks overlying the tank and 'which1 are adapted tovprov'ide a mounting-for the inflatable body to be tested', and means coacting with the opposite end portionsof the arms for movi-ng the arms toV bring Ythe body carried by the forks into submergencev Within a liquid i-n the tank and to raise the forks and body outv of such liquid', eachof said 5. A device for testing inflatable bodies comprising, in combi-nation, an annular tank defining a central opening and including spaced side walls, arms mounted upon the inv forks comprisingV vertically spaced-fingers.

tank.

. gaged with the inner portions of the arms to move the inflatable body supported by the arms into submergence Within a liquid in the 6. A device for testing inflatable bodies comprising, in combination, an annular tank delining a central opening and including lspaced side Walls, arms mounted upon the inner side Wall at points therearound for swinging movement in a vertical direction, the outer end portions of the arms being provided With means to hold an inflatable body, a vertically disposed member positioned at substantially the axial center of the openingdefined by the tank, a'sleeve slidable on said member, rigid arms operatively engaged With the sleeve and the rst named arms, and means for imparting movement to the sleeve along the member in a direction to swing the arms to move the inflatable member supported by said first named arms into submergence Within a liquid in the tank.

7 A device for testing inflatable bodies comprising, in combination, an annulartank definingv a central opening and including spaced side Walls, arms mounted upon the inner side Wall at points therearound for swinging movement in a vertical direction, the outer end portions of the arms being provided With means to hold an infiatable body, a vertically disposed member positioned at substantially the axial center of the opening defined by the tank, a sleeve slidable on said member, rigid arms operatively engaged With the sleeve at the first named arms, and means for imparting movement to the sleeve along the member in a direction to swing the arms to move the inflatable memberl supported by said first named arms into submergence Within a liquid vin the tank, said sleeve and the second named arms being of suflicient Weight to automatically maintain the first named arms in a position to hold the inatable member suplported by the first named arms above the tan In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures.

FREDERICK E. GILBREATI-I. WILLIAM E. WING. 

